Acts 3:11-26
While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Moses said, ‘THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”
A few years ago, when we were visiting our Germany family, the pastor of their church observed that most people don’t have a trust problem when it comes to faith, they have a surrender problem. He was suggesting that people are willing to trust God, they just don’t want to surrender to his reign and rule in their lives. They’ll trust God. They just don’t want to obey him. He’s worth believing in for salvation and forgiveness, he’s just not going to define their morals or behaviors.
On the one hand it sounds quite palpable. Leaning into God’s love but not aligning ourselves with his laws seems quite appealing. That’s nothing new. Bonhoeffer spoke about this in his classic, The Cost of Discipleship, calling it cheap grace. He defined “cheap grace” as “the preaching of forgiveness without calling for repentance, and a life that reflects God’s love and faithfulness, values, and purposes.
Peter says, here:
Moses said, ‘THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”
As I read those words, I was reminded of that pastor’s comments. But a closer look points to a much deeper appreciation of what God wants for us all. And it’s far more rich and blessed than surrender. Good as that may be – after all, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father (cf. Philippians 2:9-11). God rules above all. He has the last word and has already spoken the first word, “Let there be light.”
But look where Peter goes with his call that we take heed! He points us to God’s initial promise to Abram. God initiated this gift and made the first promise. All that in spite of the wickedness of our ways. This reminds me of Martin Luther’s observation about Jesus being our Lord. He says that Jesus is our Lord, because he is our redeemer. He goes on to say that Jesus has redeemed us so that we may live under him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness.
Surrender seems much less a biblical theme than faith, grace and truth. God wants hearts turned to him in faith and love much more than he wants to keep people groveling in dire angst and surrender. Let’s listen to him! Believe in him. Love and serve him. This is the way of true life.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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